Huge backlog of 2,600 court cases unheard due to virus
A HUGE backlog in unheard cases has built up in the courts system due to the coronavirus crisis, new figures indicate.
More than 2,600 different matters which had been listed for the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court over the past six weeks all had to be adjourned to later dates.
The figures were compiled by courts and company data provider Courtsdesk, which has been monitoring how hearings have been affected since court business was curtailed as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.
Its data indicates 2,616 cases listed between April 14 and May 26 were adjourned.
The figures cover a variety of types of hearings, ranging from mentions to case management and full hearings.
Among cases which were put back were the proceedings former Rehab Group chief executive Angela Kerins has against the Dáil and the State, cases involving American subprime lender Ron Weisz, and a long-running dispute relating to the remediation of an illegal dumping in Co Wicklow.
The vast majority of the adjourned matters were in the High Court.
Courtsdesk chief executive Enda Leahy said the analysis had provided the first accurate measurement of the backlog arising in the civil courts.
The backlog in the criminal courts, which have been severely affected due to the difficulty in holding jury trials, has yet to be quantified.
In recent weeks the Courts Service and the judiciary have sought to increase the number of cases being dealt with in the High Court, either through virtual or physical hearings.
Limits have been placed on the number of people who can attend in court, physical distancing signage has been put in place and Perspex screens installed for judges.
Virtual hearings are also being encouraged as much as possible, but these are thought to be more suitable for appeal cases.
However, the volume of cases being dealt with is still well down on the norm.
The High Court will continue to sit during the traditional Whit vacation next week in a bid to tackle the backlog and it would not be a surprise if its long vacation in August and September is also curtailed.
“The courts are obviously working really hard to get back to business in very difficult circumstances,” said Mr Leahy.
“For example, we’ve seen announcements from the criminal courts that they will sit in the month of September, which was scheduled as a vacation period. There could well be pressure for the civil courts to follow suit.
“Given the scale of the backlog, and the likelihood of a surge in new disputes arising from the crisis, it could yet be a busy summer for solicitors, barristers and the judiciary.”